Changing Seasons

Today is a snow day: schools in town were cancelled. That's a pretty rare event in these parts.

I'm not sure that we got all the centimetres of snow we were promised (something like 6 inches' worth--nothing to those who get Lake Effect storms). Still, the wind blew across the lake, and it brought some snow and blew the new stuff and what was already there into funky drifts. Plus the roads weren't completely cleared from the three or four inches we got on Wednesday, or was it Friday...the storms run together.

And we've officially entered the "complain about the weather" season. For some folks, that extends year-round, but most people succumb about this time of year.

The complaining thing doesn't make sense to me. We all have maps. We all know we live in a northern climate.

So why is it an annual surprise that winter is here? And hey--it's cold, too. Again! Just like last year! And guess what--it's snowing, or just about to snow, or just finished snowing. There's a shocker.

At the same time, I notice winter. I grew up with Breezy/Humid, Hot as Hell/Humid, Windy/Humid, and Icy as the primary seasons. (Those could also be nicknames for my siblings, come to think of it, but that might be a thought best pursued another day.)

And I admit it--"Just how cold is it?" is a question I still find irresistible. I monitor the thermometer outside the kitchen window several times a day. I still compare F and C to see just how cold that temperature is. It's all fascinating to me.

For example, I remain astounded at the fact that 0F is pretty darn cold in any situation, while 0C may feel cold in the fall or spring but is pretty balmy when you're getting dressed for skiing. Pile on too many layers and pretty soon your glasses are fogged and you're sweating to the point that you're making yourself colder.

So when does "paying close attention to the weather" become "complaining about the weather"?

If memory serves, around the end of March, I think, when I'm expecting crocus and the snow has become less fun. But at least now, I'm singing "Baby It's Cold Outside!" with gusto.